After hourlong standoff, armed Liberty County man surrenders

Kevin Eugene Boney, 34, is now facing several charges including aggravated assault against a family member and peace officers.

A heavily armed Liberty County man claiming to be a member of a Texas militia opened fire at his wife Tuesday afternoon and then held police at bay for about an hour before surrendering, authorities said.

Kevin Eugene Boney, 34, is now facing several charges including aggravated assault against a family member and peace officers, Liberty County sheriff's officials said.

Boney's wife called 911 about 3:45 p.m., saying he had fired at her with a high-powered rifle as she was walking up to their Cleveland-area home.

Boney's wife continued talking to the deputies as they were rushing to the scene. She told them Boney was chasing her with the rifle and was wearing body armor.

Her children were in a school bus that was quickly approaching the scene. The Hardin Independent School District bus driver stopped in time and Boney ran back to their house, sheriff's officials said.

Deputies and Liberty County constables surrounded the home. Communicating through a patrol car's public address system, deputies tried to convince Boney to surrender, officials said.

Boney came to the door wearing a helmet and full body armor and carrying several weapons, including semi-automatic rifles, authorities said.

He aimed at the officers, but they did not open fire at him because of concerns that others might be inside the house, officials said.

The negotiations continued for about an hour until Boney placed the body armor and his weapons on the ground.

As deputies placed him in handcuffs, Boney began yelling that he was a "warrant officer in the Texas Militia" and claimed local law enforcement had no authority over him. Boney also said he should have killed the officers at the scene. Deputies used a pepper-spray like device to subdue him, according to sheriff's officials.

Boney is a convicted felon with what Liberty County officials described as a lengthy criminal history. Deputies also confiscated several other weapons inside the house.

Boney was then taken into custody and taken to the Liberty County Jail. He was being held on $700,000 bond for four different charges.